Own your mistakes

When you make a mistake, you take responsibility for it.

President John F. Kennedy assumed full responsibility for his role in authorizing at the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961. The ill-fated invasion, which failed to overthrow Fidel Castro, was initially planned by the Eisenhower administration. Kennedy did not make excuses.

People respect a leader who assumes responsibility for their actions. Contrary to what those who deflect blame believe, showing responsibility for when things go wrong is actually a sign of strength.

How so?

A leader who stands up and takes blame for the actions of subordinates is a leader who knows him or herself.

An executive who exempts himself from blame when things go wrong is a person that cannot understand what it takes to lead because they lack one attribute essential to leadership: integrity!

John Baldoni is an internationally recognized leadership educator and executive coach. In 2017, Trust Across America named him a Top Thought Leader in Trust for the fourth consecutive year. Global Gurus ranked Baldoni No. 22 on its list of top 30 global experts, a list he has been on since 2007. In 2014, Inc.com named him to its list of top 50 leadership experts. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including his newest, “MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership.”

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